BBC News Online: World: Africa

'Mercenaries' in West Africa's war

Combat pilots from Ukraine, South Africa and France are active in West Africa's border wars.

Although there are some local pilots, West African governments often find it more effective to use foreign soldiers, sometimes referred to as mercenaries.

For example, Guinea's powerful attack helicopters are usually flown by Ukrainians. This was confirmed to me recently by a senior government official in Guinea.

A report by the US-based human-rights group, Human Rights Watch, recently condemned a series of attacks from Guinea on Sierra Leone using these helicopter over the past few months which have killed dozens of civilians, including children.

The helicopter attacks on areas of Sierra Leone held by Sierra Leonean rebels were apparently aimed at stopping these rebels making incursions into Guinea.

Motivation

On the other side of the border, it's no secret that the Sierra Leone government employs South African pilots to fly Russian-built attack helicopters maintained by Ethiopian engineers.

Until recently, Sierra Leone also employed French pilots and gunners.

Liberia, which is deeply involved in West Africa's border wars, has been accused by the United Nations of using South African, Ukrainian and Libyan trainers, in contravention of UN arms embargoes.

Some of the foreign soldiers fighting in West Africa are known to be motivated by a belief in their cause, but most of them are motivated by money generated by the region's diamond wealth.